Chapter XVIII — Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks
Introduction
Chapter XVIII deals with offences relating to documents and property marks. It contains provisions addressing forgery, possession and use of forged documents, counterfeiting of seals and marks, falsification of accounts, and fraudulent handling or destruction of wills and securities. These rules protect legal and commercial transactions by penalizing dishonest manipulation of documents and deceptive marking of property.
BNS Sections Covered
| Section | Title | Short description |
|---|---|---|
| 335 | Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property | Unauthorised breaking into containers to steal property. |
| 336 | Forgery | Making a false document with intent to cause damage or fraud. |
| 337 | Forgery of court record or public register | Forging public/legal records which affect rights or obligations. |
| 338 | Forgery of valuable security, will, etc. | Forging high-value documents like wills or securities. |
| 339 | Possession of forged documents (337/338) | Having forged documents intending to use them as genuine. |
| 340 | Using forged document or electronic record as genuine | Presenting or using forged documents or e-records in transactions. |
| 341 | Counterfeit seal or instrument for forgery | Making or holding fake seals or tools for committing forgery. |
| 342 | Counterfeiting authentication devices or marks | Counterfeiting devices used to authenticate official documents. |
| 343 | Fraudulent cancellation/destruction of will or security | Destroying or cancelling documents to deprive rightful claimants. |
| 344 | Falsification of accounts | Manipulating financial accounts to hide fraud or losses. |
| 345 | Property mark | Mark used to indicate ownership of goods. |
| 346 | Tampering with property mark | Altering property marks to cause injury or confusion. |
| 347 | Counterfeiting a property mark | Creating fake marks to impersonate another’s goods. |
| 348 | Making/possessing instrument for counterfeiting marks | Tools or instruments used to counterfeit property marks. |
| 349 | Selling goods with counterfeit property mark | Offering goods falsely labelled with another’s mark for sale. |
| 350 | Making a false mark upon receptacle containing goods | Applying a misleading mark on containers to deceive buyers/owners. |
Conclusion
Chapter XVIII (BNS 335–350) secures commercial and legal trust by criminalizing forgery, counterfeiting and fraudulent manipulation of documents and property marks. These provisions protect individuals, businesses and institutions from deception that undermines ownership, inheritance, and legal processes.